Black Steaks!

[Tom Ipock]

Ok, I know that I am not the only one with this problem, as I see them on most boats in the marina - but - not on ALL boats. I have a new (10 month old) imron paint job on my boat. I can leave the boat for a week and come back and there they are. Running down the side - those ?/*%@! black streaks! Clorox cleanup will easily take them off, but they come right back. And, by using the cleaners, I have removed my wax. I've tried several hull waxes and polishes, but they come back. I have sort of assumed that they come from the liftadot fittings for the canvas, and from the aluminum trim around the cabin top - all of which are aluminum. Has anyone found a cure for this problem, short of replacing all of the aluminum with stainless? Would seem that there might be a polish that would seal the aluminum to keep it from leaching?
Any help out there would be appreciated.
Frustrated,
Tom

 

[krazy8]

I assume the streaks are down the side of the hull where the water runs off the side of the gunwales or gunnel , Easiest solution is to cut a piece of old eisenglass about 6 or 8 inches long and maybe 2 to 3 inches wide , then remove some screws from the rubrail and slide the eisenglass up under there with the excess hanging down below the rubrail , caulk and re install the screws . The eisenglass will break up the stream of water and dirt comming down the gunnel and should hopefully alleviate the problem.

 

[Vic Clevenger]

I have the eisenglass extensions, about 2" by 12", attached under the rubrail on my 36SC. They cut down the black streaks significantly, but do not completely eliminate them. In addition to the aluminum, I think they also come from dirt being washed out of, or off of, the canvas. My vessel is stored inside heated in the winter and I take off the canvas and wash it and waterproof it each year. Then in the spring when the canvas is really clean, the streaks do not appear. But as the season wears on and the canvas acquires dirt on the surface, the streaks begin to appear. I would recommend the eisenglass extensions as a partial solution to the problem.

 

[Pascal]

darn ... i thought this was going to be a thread about steak recipes...

i have them too, 99% of them wash off easily with regular boat soap.

 

[Tom Ipock]

Sorry about the spelling! BLACK STREAKS!

 

[jim rosenthal]

I've heard everything about these including that they are made by jet fuel from airliners passing overhead...which I don't believe. When we painted my boat, we took off all the aluminum and painted it with silver Imron and clearcoated it. The black streak problem is less noticeable after that. I think they are from dirt washing off the boat and going down the hull side. Any undiluted boat cleaner will get them off, but they may come back quickly depending where you are. When my boat was in Baltimore, where the air is lots dirtier, the streaks were worse. Out here in Annapolis, I don't notice it as much.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Oh, and if you want black steaks, fix yourself a few big drinks, get sleepy, and put your steaks on the grille. The fire department will wake you up when they arrive.

 

[Pascal]

Jim... be honnest now... is since a case of been there, done that, got the Tee?

i coudl be wrong but here in So Fl, black streaks seems worst in winter when we have more westerly breeze than in summer where we get easterlies from the ocean...

 

[Kathy L]

Jim, Don't underestimate the jet fuel theory. When we were in Wickford R.I. next to Quonset Pt. where the National Guard flew...bad,bad,bad black streaks. And Pascal your right, especially when the sugar cane is burning.

 

[Capt K]

As a kid, I grew up with my parents boating out of Wickford Cove Marina (now Brewers) in the 50's and 60's. The naval base was fully active and retrieving space capsuls, etc. Even back then, on wooden boats, it was a problem. Of course, we lived on the boat in the summer and my job was to have the boat always clean and ready to cruise when Dad got home.....lucky me, only child.

Oh, well, it primed me for the future(now).

Capt K

 

[SKYCHENEY]

You said WAX. Wax is part of your problem. I've found that after using wax, I get black streaks. If I use Awlcare or Finesse-It II, I don't. I think that the dirt actually adheres to the wax. Imron shouldn't need wax.

And for black steaks, you can use lots of ground pepper.

 

[Mike36c]

Ok everyone, As a fellow jet-A burner I have to chime in on airplane theory. Although jet aircraft are responsible for many issues (noise, low property values, high oil prices, ozone depletion, cirrus cloud formation, flashing lights at night that confuse sailboaters still using sextants, high divorce rate, etc.) they are'nt responsible for black streaks. My boat is tied up on the busy South Florida Intracoastal and I'm convinced it's black streaks are a result of passing boats 200' away, not aircraft 4000' above. My neighbor has a constant light coat of soot over his covered screen patio, all from passing transoms. Just my $.02. BTW, I also use the Awlcare products which sure make clean up a breeze. Mike

 

[captddis]

It always seemed that if you were moored near a power plant the streaks were really bad. I do not know about jet exhaust but a maintain some boats near a Air Force Base and the canvas always gets black oil stains on it. And the dirty canvas is a big streakmaker. Geographic area is also a big factor.

 

[eze2bme]

I switched from wax to 3M's Finesse-It II on my cabin house and flybridge and the black streaks have all but disappeared. Hatteras advised me not to wax the Imron ... and that they used the Finesse-It II on the yachrs prior to delivery. Any light streaking that I get easily washs off with Dawn dishwashing liquid and water.

 

[MarioG]

And for black steaks, you can use lots of ground pepper.

you can also use a blackend cajun seasoning with a glazed bourbon sauce on grilled ribeyes

 

[Kathy L]

Mike, I knew about the "confuse sail boat" stuff, didnt know jets caused all the other things. You have a good point though, when I was at your boat on Friday a 9000' go fast boat went by at 9000 MPH, lots of smoke!! John.

 

[Tom Ipock]

Sounds like I need to try the Finess product. I've been using Tree Wax. I looked at the West Marine site and they don't stock it. Where is it available?
Thanks,
Tom

 

[Mike36c]

John, I'm jealous! You've spent more time on my boat then I have the last few weeks! Glad to hear it's still there and floating

 

[SKYCHENEY]

You can get 3M Finesse It II at BoatersWorld.com or at Jamestown Distributors.

 

[Traveler 45C]

You can also get it at Wal-Mart. It’s much cheaper there.

And they also sell steaks!